


A Snowy Duel

by t_dragon



Series: T's 2018 Fanfic Advent Calendar [4]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: A bit sad, Alternate Universe - Historical, Fluff, I Don't Even Know, Light Angst, Or open ending, Sort of happy ending, but not too bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 08:25:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16850566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_dragon/pseuds/t_dragon
Summary: Who would have known that the youngest prince was so good at throwing snowballs? Not Jongin!





	A Snowy Duel

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know how this happened, it started with college!KaiSoo, but that didn't feel right, then I did this, and I've wanted to write historical for a long time now, and it just kept flowing, and suddenly I had a whole storyline and maybe I'll continue to write on it some day and that wasn't at all what was supposed to happen and just- ;; my brain just snapped, obviously, it was supposed to be light and cute and fluffy, but I guess you'll have to try to enjoy this instead lmfao please don't kill me

 The only warning Jongin got was a loud call of his name, before something hit him hard in the back. Taking a few stumbling steps forwards, he managed to catch his balance instead of tumbling headfirst into the ground, whirling around in confusion.

 Behind him stood Kyungsoo, one arm still stretched out, the other hand holding a snowball, and the pieces were puzzled together in his Jongin’s head.

 “M-my prince?” Jongin stuttered out, barely believing what he was seeing. “Did you just-”

 Fast like lightning, Kyungsoo moved the second snowball into his throwing arm, and Jongin just managed to duck to avoid getting slammed with snow in the face.

 “I challenge you to a duel!” Kyungsoo called out as he scrambled for more snow, quickly patting it into a ball, and Jongin held up both hands in surrender.

 “No, please, my prince, I cannot do this-”

 But Jongin’s protests fell on deaf ears, as Kyungsoo peppered him with snowball after snowball, until Jongin realized that the prince would not give up until Jongin accepted his challenge.

 “Fine, I accept the duel!” Jongin finally exclaimed, annoyance almost turning his words into a hiss as he squatted down and scraped together some snow and quickly packed it together.

 Kyungsoo let out an excited little sound, creating an opening that Jongin immediately took advantage of, managing to hit him straight in the face.

 They both froze, Jongin barely breathing as horror filled him, even more so as Kyungsoo blinked his large, round eyes open.

 “I-I-” Jongin tried to say something,  _ anything _ , tried to apologize, because he had just hit the youngest prince in the face with snow, and that was  _ unacceptable _ -

 A snort was heard, and then Kyungsoo burst out laughing, collapsing down onto the ground, and the tension began to bleed out of Jongin. He was okay, the prince was okay, maybe Jongin’s punishment would be light…

 Apparently, as Kyungsoo had been kneeling on the ground, and Jongin had been too swept up into his relief to pay much attention, the prince had created another snowball. It sailed through the air and hit Jongin straight in the chest before he realized what was happening, making him stumble and fall down onto his backside. Kyungsoo’s laughter only got louder as Jongin’s mouth dropped open in shock, and that was when Jongin truly threw caution to the wind.

 Jongin did not know for how long he and the prince where throwing snowballs at each other, neither did he know when they moved towards a nearby bosket, searching for cover amongst the trees. He only knew that he was having more fun than he had had in probably  _ years _ , the sound of laughter and screams filling the air reminding him of his early childhood - before Kyungsoo got so busy with his lessons, before Jongin got so busy with his own lessons.

 And even as they both began to pant from exertion, their throws heavier and less accurate, Jongin wished that it would never come to an end. He wanted to stay here, in this little bubble of theirs, forever. But time would not wait for anyone, and life soon made itself reminded, in the form of a mother.

 Jongin noticed the queen first, lowering his head in a deep bow and allowing Kyungsoo to get one last good hit to his back before he also noticed.

 “Are you having fun, boys?” the queen asked, amusement in her voice, as Jongin straightened up again.

 “Yes, mother,” Kyungsoo answered, sounding a bit bashful and hesitant.

 After all, having a snowball fight was maybe not the most proper thing for the youngest prince of the kingdom - especially not with the healer’s son. No matter how long they had known each other.

 “I can see that,” the queen said, a gentle smile on her lips, before she nodded towards the palace. “Bring Jonginnie inside and let him warm up, you both look half a breeze away from turning to ice.”

 It was not until then that Jongin realized that he actually was pretty cold, his fingers sore and near unbendable. And his robes were only good for walking the short distances between the houses, not for tumbling around in snow.

 “Okay!” Kyungsoo piped up, and suddenly, icy fingers were wrapping around Jongin’s and he was tugged towards the palace, managing one last bow towards the queen before Kyungsoo had pulled him away.

 “My prince, please, this is not necessary,” Jongin hurriedly whispered as they got closer to the palace, but Kyungsoo ignored him. “ _ Please _ , it is fine-”

 “Oh, hush, Jongin, you are coming with me,” Kyungsoo said, a kind of finality to his voice that stopped all of Jongin’s protests. “You are freezing because of me, and I will make sure you are nice and warm before I send you off.”

 “Yes, my prince,” Jongin mumbled as they reached the door. The answer earned him a quick glance from Kyungsoo, but then they were rushed inside by the servants, wrapped in pelts and situated in front of a burning fireplace.

 Hot drinks were prepared and handed out, before Kyungsoo waved the servants away, and they were left alone. Silence reigned for a long while, putting Jongin on edge, but there was something familiar to it. Something long lost, something dearly missed, and Jongin could not help but sink into the reminiscence of old times.

 “Do you know what I despise? Almost more than anything else?” Kyungsoo suddenly spoke up, bringing Jongin back to the now, turning to watch as Kyungsoo’s eyes were trained on the crackling fire in front of them. “That you have stopped calling me by my name. I thought we were  _ friends _ , Jongin.”

 Jongin dragged in a sharp breath at that, memory triggered. Many years before, Jongin had made a promise to always call Kyungsoo by his name, since they were friends and friends called each other by their names.

 But that promise had been made with the ignorance of a child. Kyungsoo was the prince, the second in line for the throne, and Jongin was the youngest child of the royal healer. They might have been able to get away with it before, when they were young, but now Kyungsoo was just one winter away from his coming of age, Jongin not far behind, and it was no longer acceptable.

 “We  _ were _ friends,” Jongin mumbled, turning his eyes to the fire as well. It seemed as the safest point to focus on. “When we were children, we were friends. But we are no longer children, and it is not proper for the prince to associate with the healer’s son.”

 “Says who?” Kyungsoo muttered, sounding very petulant, and Jongin could not help but smile. He could almost imagine the pout on the prince’s lips, but he was too scared to look. “We have known each other for our entire lives, I think that is cause for some lenience…”

 “You know others will not see it like that,” Jongin answered, trying to force the bittersweetness out of his voice. Kyungsoo did not need to hear that. “At most, I can become an advisory to you, if I take over after my father.”

 From the corner of his eyes, Jongin could see Kyungsoo turn towards him, but he kept his eyes forwards.

 “If?”

 Oh, why did he let that slip… Taking a deep breath, Jongin closed his eyes before letting all the air out in a deep sigh.

 “I… I am still not sure what I want to do,” Jongin silently admitted, focusing on the bright orange painted across his dark eyelids. “I am in training, but I do not know if that is what I truly want to do…”

 There was silence for a little longer, before Kyungsoo softly hummed.

 “Do what your heart tells you to, Jongin. You are in a position that, I will not lie, I am a bit envious of. You can do whatever you want, without any regrets, without any duties or anything holding you back. So do what your heart tells you, live your life to the fullest, and then come back to me and tell me the stories you come across so I can live a little through you.”

 Jongin finally opened his eyes to turn and look at Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo who was facing the fire with a dreamy expression on his face, as if he was far away, but there was a tinge of sadness there that ran deep and prompted Jongin to make a rushed and maybe foolish promise.

 “I will. I will do what my heart tells me, and I will bring you back stories,” Jongin promised, even if he had not made a concrete decision yet, even if he was still debating if he should stay or leave. Because Jongin was weak for Kyungsoo in that way, and no matter what happened, even if Jongin stayed, he hoped it would be okay anyway.

 “Make me another promise,” Kyungsoo mumbled, barely loud enough for Jongin to hear, as his lips lifted into the faintest of smiles. “Promise me to stay my friend until you leave, and then let me welcome you, greet you, like an old friend whenever you return. Be my confidante, advisory, sagaman. Let your stories and discoveries help me do my duty well, no matter what it might become.”

 Something inside of Jongin cracked, and he recognized it as his resolution. It was crumbling, already built on a weak foundation, and just the  _ thought _ of leaving only to sporadically return just spurred the deterioration on, until there was just dust left.

 “Okay.” Kyungsoo’s head whipped up, eyes growing large. “Let us become friends again,  _ Kyungsoo. _ Until I leave, and whenever I visit. I will tell you everything, and help you with your duties. I promise.”

 “Thank you,” Kyungsoo exhaled, a blinding smile on his face as he reached out and took hold of Jongin’s hand, squeezing it. “Thank you, Jongin. Now, tell me what has happened in your life these last years, I must have missed much.”

 Jongin allowed himself to be pulled down to lie on the floor, facing Kyungsoo who also lied down, and talked. They talked for minutes, maybe hours, about everything and nothing, reinstating the friendship that had once been there, easily sinking down into it once more. And maybe it was because it had been so long since last they had done this, or maybe it was because Jongin had grown, but he could not help but notice things, things he had never noticed or paid attention to before. Things he had never put any real other value into, but that he did now.

 How deep and soothing Kyungsoo’s voice was, how soft his laughter was. How small he looked lying down, long, dark hair pooling around him, but still demanding so much attention just through his personality and aura. The rosy cheeks, the still-red nose, the sparkling, dark eyes, and the lovely heart-shaped smile,  _ oh. _

 The sharp pain in Jongin’s chest let him knew that he was in trouble, because even though he had never felt like this before, he instinctively knew what it was.

 But even so, Jongin could not find it in himself to distance himself, to pull back, not now that Kyungsoo was so  _ happy _ about having him close again. And maybe it was selfish, maybe it was foolish, but Jongin wanted to stay as close as he could as well. Even if he could not have everything, he could have this little piece, at least for now, and that was enough.

 It would  _ have _ to be enough, Jongin decided, as both he and Kyungsoo slowly drifted off to sleep curled up next to each other. Like they had so many times before, such a long time ago.

 

 Kyungsoo woke up before Jongin, and spent a few minutes just watching his friend sleep. His face was still so familiar, even though it had been years since Kyungsoo had last been able to take a proper look at it like this, but familiar did not mean the same. Because just like Kyungsoo, Jongin had also grown up, leaving the childish roundness behind and approaching the more sharp edges of adulthood.

 But still, in sleep like this, there was a more boyish softness to Jongin’s face that almost let Kyungsoo believe that they were still children, close friends and inseparable. A bubble of pretend around them, something Kyungsoo never wanted to leave again.

 If only life was that easy, if only time could be turned back. But time only moved forwards, and Kyungsoo was bound by invisible ties that were now tugging at him. He could not lie here and watch Jongin for the rest of eternity, no matter how much he wanted to.

 Sitting up, Kyungsoo shuffled closer to the still-sleeping Jongin, making sure he was truly asleep, and deeply so, before leaning forwards.

 “Come back to me,” Kyungsoo murmured, before he let his lips oh so softly brush across Jongin’s cheekbone.

 Then Kyungsoo pulled back, and left the room. And a few weeks later, Jongin left the palace to search for whatever road his heart wanted him to take, and the stories Kyungsoo wanted him to tell.

 And the dream of Kyungsoo’s lips against his cheek was something Jongin always kept close to his heart, the most precious of things Jongin carried with him on his travels.

 And the feeling of Jongin’s sleep-warmed skin beneath his lips was something Kyungsoo would always remember, keeping it close to his heart as he waited for Jongin to return.


End file.
